


Tradition

by EmilliaGryphon



Series: 12 Days of Starmora [1]
Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), MCU, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, gotg
Genre: Christmas, Cuddles, Established Relationship, F/M, Gen, Holiday, Love, Romance, Sort Of, Team as Family, celebration
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-06
Updated: 2017-12-06
Packaged: 2019-02-11 04:21:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12927339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmilliaGryphon/pseuds/EmilliaGryphon
Summary: First day of the 12 Days of Starmora Challenge on Tumblr! Prompt: Tradition





	Tradition

“I do not understand,” Drax frowned. “How can they be reindeer if they are not made of rain.” The toned alien man looked down skeptically at his mug of what Peter hoped was egg nog and sniffed at it, brows furrowing.

“They’re a type of animal native to Terra,” Gamora said easily, she too looked at her egg nog and took a small sip. “….and the man in the red suit, he employs these animals to fly his ship?” 

“His sleigh,” Peter clarified, coming to sit down next to her in the Milano’s cramped kitchen. Moment of truth, he thought, taking a swig of his own hot beverage and smiled. So the recipe was correct. He had to pay 300 units for a Terran holiday cookbook! Gamora cocked her head in confusion, making Peter’s grin even wider. He appreciated all of her heartfelt attempts to understand Terran customs and ways, even though they were almost always slightly off. He held his mug a little tighter in his hands, trying to distract himself from the urge to put his arm around her shoulder.

“What other strange Terran traditions are observed during this….Chrismas?” Drax inquired, taking a knife from his belt and proceeded to sharpen it right there at the table. Gamora frowned, adorably to Peter’s observation before Drax continued. “….And who is this Chris? Must you murder him for the reindeers to consume? That sounds like quite a lovely tradition.” Peter laughed, rolling his eyes and drained the last of his nogg, relishing in the warm spicy zing of flavor. 

“Uhh no.” He’d given up trying to educate any of his space family about the religious aspects of the holiday. He himself never observed any formal religion as a child. His mother always said the only thing you needed faith in was those you loved. The Terran blinked, looking down at the memory. He could hardly recall the last holiday he’d spent with her. Gamora’s soft, subtle hand on his knee under the table however brightened his mood instantly. She always knew how to read his expressions, saw things in him that the others couldn’t see. “Well, there’s the tradition of hanging stockings over a fire.” 

“Stockings?” Rocket’s familiar gruff voice demanded as the raccoon swaggered into the kitchen, stains of engine grease and soot mucking his blue jumpsuit. 

“Stockings,” Peter confirmed. “Like socks. You hang them over a fireplace and Santa puts gifts in them.” Gamora opened her mouth to question but then shut it. As if she felt bad inquiring further. Drax’s blank stare and Rocket’s dismissive shrug were enough to have Peter clarify.

“We went over this! Santa, the man who flies the reindeer, the big cheese, dude with the gifts. He leaves presents under the tree and in the stockings.”  
Drax only shook his head in confusion. 

“These Terran traditions make no sense. Goodnight.” Without ceremony he stood up, sheathed his knife, flicked the metal scraps from his sharpening off the table and made for his room. Peter watched him go, sighing with mixed frustration and amusement. He turned to Rocket, but the enhanced raccoon only rolled his eyes.

“I’m headed to bed, don’t touch anything in the fuse box in the bay. I’m still working on it.” Peter nodded, dropping the subject and smiled at Gamora before going to his room. The knock on his door sounded not a long while after. 

“Hey you,” he whispered, Gamora stood before him, a small smile on her lips. She’d traded her regular black tank and pants for a simple night shirt. In response she kissed him, lips soft and warm in stark contrast to everything else about her. He went to return the favor but she broke off, brushing past him, he closed the door behind her.

“They’ll learn,” she said sitting down on the side of his bed and beginning to undo her braid. Peter sat down beside her, gently weaving his fingers through her hair until she relented and allowed him to carefully unwind each strand. “We’ll learn.”

“You’re doing great,” he whispered, nibbling on her ear. She laughed, such a sweet full sound he wished he heard more often. “It’s confusing I know, why before I was with the Ravagers I thought the idea of Crolex day was absurd. Who just gives things they steal away?”

“I think it’s a nice idea,” she quipped. Peter had to agree. He finished unbraiding her hair and put his arms around her waist, pulling her down next to him. She giggled, kissing his neck and put her head on his shoulder. Peter sighed, all pressures of captaining, all the bittersweet memories of the holiday season replaced by contentment and warmth. 

“Why can’t we tell the others?” He finally asked not for the first time. Gamora sighed, body tensing next to him but this time she did not move away from him. It meant more to him than he could express. Nevertheless, she groaned,

“We’ve been over this! It’s not that I don’t want them to know about us it’s just that…”

“Is it because it’d be weird? Being the only couple on the ship?” He asked. “You know I’m not sure that’s true. Drax has a pretty intimate relationship with his knives and Groot and Rocket are pretty much a couple.”

“It’s not that!” She turned over, laying on top of him. Though her face was stern her eyes were sweet and shining. Peter moved his hands up, gently touching her face. It’d taken them so long to become this thing that they were, so long to say the things they meant to say. All Peter wanted to do was shout it to the world now that it was happening. Every time he looked at her his heart leapt, he wanted to share that feeling with the world. Thumb caressing her cheek, she let out a small smile. 

“It’s just that….” BAM! Gamora and Peter shot up out of the bed, hearts racing. Peter sniffed, the smell of burning filling his nose as he threw open the door, and bolted down the hallway, Gamora running ahead of him. Trying to forget how cute her bum looked, the Terran slid down the metal grated stairs to the engine room. 

“What is going on?!” Gamora demanded, sword out. Drax looked perplexed. 

“I am Groot,” Gamora put her sword away but her hard stare did not relent. Peter beheld the three of his fellow teammates. Groot stood next to the combustion chamber large eyes looking guilty as he held a now smoldering pair of what had been socks. Rocket held another scrap of cloth, this one not yet ruined. Drax blinked, fanning out his fists to reveal one of his own socks, this one burned to the ankle in a smoking piece of black fabric. 

“You said it was tradition to hang stockings by the fire.” Peter stared in disbelief for another few minutes before he allowed himself to laugh. 

“Yeah, a contained fireplace! Not a combustion chamber!”

“Look Star-Freak we’re trying to appease your weird Terran ways here!” Rocket snapped. Peter slapped Drax on the shoulder good-naturedly. 

“Your doing great guys…..it’s gonna be great just…try not to blow the ship up in the process.” Drax too bellowed his contagious laughter, Groot and Rocket joined in and through the smoke Peter saw Gamora give way, giggling and shaking her head. Something told him this was going to be the most exciting albeit dangerous holiday yet. But no matter what, he already had all he wanted. Gamora met his eyes and the two of them smiled, a secret tradition of their own.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time writing Gamora and Peter in depth! My other work is exclusively Rocket and/or Groot centric. Hope you all enjoy my attempts to write these two and their relationship!


End file.
